Non-profit organizations and Associations

McCallum High SchoolChallenge: McCallum High School had a site that was more than 10 years old and was rarely updated. Accompanying the site was a yahoo group that was used to communicate on a weekly basis, but could only be managed by one person. News from the yahoo group was never added to the site.Solution: We created a new WordPress site that automatically generates a weekly newsletter (from new posts on the website) that is emailed out to parents, staff and students via the MailChimp email marketing system. Multiple administrators have access to add/remove content from the site and newsletter. We connected the journalism students' Instagram account to the site so that the pictures they take daily are featured on each page of the site in the footer. The McCallum community knows that the site is now the go-to place for all news and information related to the school.

PrintAustinChallenge: PrintAustin is an annual event that showcases the work of printmakers in the Austin area. They had a WordPress.com site (the lite version of WordPress) and was using an online form to accept paid event listings for their annual program, but these registrations had to be hand-entered into the site as the form didn't connect to an online calendar system.Solution: We redesigned the site in a mobile and tablet-friendly WordPress theme and researched options for paid event listings plugins. We found and configured the Templatic events plugin to accept online registrations and payments that end up populating the site's public events calendar. This saves hours of the organizers' time and allows registrants to edit their own event listings.

Austin NewcomersChallenge: Austin Newcomers needed to upgrade from a paper-based membership application system and wanted to take online payments for event registrations as well.Solution: We redesigned the site in a mobile and tablet-friendly WordPress theme and configured the Membership Works (MW) system to streamline member management. The MW system allows for online event registration, an events calendar, a password-protected membership directory, light CRM tracking and members-only content. Austin Newcomers can also easily send email messages to its full membership or certain segments.

Round Rock New NeighborsChallenge: RRNN, like Austin Newcomers, sought to transition to an online payment system for memberships and events. They also needed an entirely new site as the old site was not responsive.Solution: We created a new logo, redesigned the site in WordPress and implemented the Membership Works association management system to handle calendars, event registrations, membership payments/reminders and a members only directory. We trained a large group of volunteers who manage various aspects of the club's functions to run the site going forward.

The Girls' School of AustinChallenge: The Girls' School of Austin needed a new, mobile-friendly site that would allow them to take online payments and event registrations.Solution: We worked with Sparkle Creative to come up with a design that would showcase the school's beautiful new facility. We added ecommerce forms and an online registration system for open house events and trained staff to update both for ongoing needs.

Preemie Babies 101Challenge: Hand to Hold received a generous donation of an existing blog for parents of premature babies, Preemie Babies 101. The organization was excited to have this new platform to reach their target audience, but needed to re-brand the site to match the Hand to Hold brand.Solution: We created a new design for Preemie Babies 101 within WordPress for the blog and imported all the prior content, users and comments to the new hosting space. We also added a gallery of blog contributors that automatically updates as new contributors write for the site.

Hand to HoldChallenge: Startup non-profit Hand to Hold needed a website to help connect volunteers with parents needing help. It also sought to collect online donations, introduce its mission and facilitate fundraising. The site needed to be ready to scale to include additional features such as online discussion forums, personal giving programs and chat once the organization was ready to manage those programs.Solution: We created a highly scalable site in WordPress that will grow with the organization as its needs evolve. The site includes a blog highlighting volunteer stories, a home page slider featuring statistics with photos, a searchable online resource database, and custom email marketing templates.

Gullet GeckosChallenge: Gullett Elementary School needed a better-organized and more visually appealing WordPress site. Volunteers needed to be able to more easily update content without having to enter the same information in multiple places. Parents were having a hard time finding the information they needed.Solution: We heard from parents and listened to volunteers who would be working on the site. We redesigned the site with parents as the primary target audience. Current news is now featured on the home page versus buried deeper within the site. One parent remarked, "Everything I needed to know is right there on the home page."

The Tesla ProjectChallenge: The Tesla Project was holding its second annual event in Austin to celebrate all things Telsa-related and needed a new site to showcase the artists (bands, visual artists and performance artists) who were participating in the upcoming show.Solution: We used WordPress.com, which provides free hosting, to host the site as this is a new organization with limited funds. We highly customized the Greyzed theme (one of the themes available to WordPress.com users) to create an updated "old time science" look to go with the theme of Nikola Telsa.

Renee Trudeau & AssociatesChallenge: Author Renee Trudeau needed a redesigned web
site to showcase her new book as well as her speaking services and retreats. It needed to be easier for staff around the country to edit as well.Solution: With design provided by Highwire Creative, we implemented a WordPress site with features such as ecommerce and an integrated email marketing system (MailChimp). We transitioned a part of the old site that had been done in Cold Fusion (the find/start a group area) into a WordPress-based system as well.

B2B

Jet SpecialtyChallenge: Oil and gas services company Jet Specialty needed a redesigned site that was mobile-friendly and reflected their current products and services. Solution: We designed a mobile-responsive site in WordPress and added their revised content. The new design allows customers in the field to easy see Jet Specialty's offerings and locations without having to zoom in and out.

Clean Power Marketing GroupChallenge: CPMG was launched in 2014 by Nancy Edwards to help clean energy innovators become market leaders. She needed a logo for her new enterprise and an easy-to-manage web presence that was mobile and tablet-friendly.Solution: We designed the CPMG logo and built the site in WordPress.com. We helped Nancy choose the WordPress.com platform so that she wouldn't have to deal with the ongoing maintenance issues of a full WordPress installation. Nancy is able to post blogs to her site without technical assistance as she establishes herself as a thought leader in the clean power industry.

Avende Challenge: Avende sought to add a blog to its site and convert the site to the WordPress platform. They had in-house staff who could build the site's pages but needed help with the initial design.Solution: We offered a number of WordPress template selections to choose from and customized the StudioBox theme to work with their colors and their ideas for the home page. We installed plugins and trained a staff member to build the pages. We did what we are best at and they saved money by building the pages.

DeShazo & Nesbitt, LLP Challenge: Scott DeShazo and Tom Nesbitt left large law firms to begin their own practice in 2007. They needed a web site that would well position them and serve as a referral tool for prospective and current clients.Solution: We designed a logo for their print marketing materials as well as a sharp web site that provides the information a client may need in evaluating their services and qualifications.

Consultants and PROFESSIONALS

West End Marketing and MediaChallenge: West End owner Susan Moore had evolved her business and sought to change its name and logo to reflect its more narrow focus. Although Susan had started to build her WordPress site on her own, she needed further help to complete it and align it with her brand.Solution: Working with Susan and her vision for her business, we designed a new logo that works well in a variety of formats both online and offline. We carried this new brand identity forward into the web site by customizing fonts, colors and graphics for a more streamlined and unified look.

Holt ResidentialChallenge: Holt Residential operates in the comptetive downtown Austin real estate market and was adding agents to its office. The company needed to upgrade their site to better reflect the company they were becoming. The old site was only two static pages.Solution: We created a WordPress site with a MLS search plugin so that prospective clients could search and save properties. Clients can also sign up to be notified as new properties enter the MLS that match their search criteria. The listings on the site are automatically updated from the MLS. Featured properties listed by the brokerage rotate in a sidebar of all interior site pages to showcase the types of properties Holt Residential specializes in.

The Spring, Center for Natural MedicineChallenge: The Spring needed a site that could be edited by staff and reflected a current look.Solution: We created an easy-to-edit WordPress site with a built-in blog for the owner to showcase her knowledge. The site features mobile-responsive design which means that it scales appropriately to whatever device it is being viewed with, be it a smart phone, tablet or desktop computer. We also set up an email newsletter that is automatically generated and sent weekly from any new blog posts. They no longer need to log into an email marketing system to send messages to their client list.

Mantra MarketingChallenge: Mantra Marketing owner Christy Wylie needed a new site to reflect the type of business she wanted to attract and the depth of services she offers. She wanted a very artistic look for the site that reflected her design aesthetic. She sought a site with no maintenance requirements and wanted to be able to grow the site at a later date.Solution: After listening to Christy's needs, we suggested using WordPress.com, a "lite" version of WordPress that offers free hosting and requires no maintenance work or upgrades. In partnership with artist Cathy Savage, we customized the very basic Twenty Eleven WordPress theme to create a beautiful site that reflects Christy's creativity.

Roxan Coffman PropertiesChallenge: Roxan Coffman had a web site that had an outdated property search engine. She needed to incorporate her new logo and also wanted to simplify and modernize the design.Solution: We created a custom design for her site within WordPress. We researched property search (IDX) plugins so that she could have a full MLS search on her site and showcase her sellers' as well. The IDX plugin we installed also allows potential homebuyers to sign up for property alert emails so that they are notified when new properties that match their criteria become available.

Cathy Martin ConsultsChallenge: Marketing maven Cathy Martin needed a new online presence where she could share her marketing wisdom with current and prospective clients.Solution: We customized the Greyzed theme on WordPress.com to match Cathy's updated brand. Customizations include a new background, a different color set as well as custom fonts and icons. Cathy says, "I love it that I can now tune, manage and evolve my site of my own volition. The online world is now "my oyster". Yay! I can think outside the box... no longer have to enlist help to do that. Your insight, guidance and training helped me do this ~ its a major breakthru for me. I love the freedom and power it gives me."

Doctor's Crossing Challenge: Heather Fork, MD, created a coaching practice to help doctors enjoy their careers or transition out of the practice of medicine. She needed a website that would showcase options and give hope to doctors who sought better life balance.Solution: We built a WordPress site that includes a blog where Heather writes weekly about topics of interest to existing and potential clients. We advised Heather that instead of creating a regular enewsletter, a blog with emailed posts would be more efficient and would be less work for her to maintain. Her clients can subscribe to the blog posts and they receive the posts automatically via email. We created a custom blog-to-email template that it is styled to match the rest of her website.

Seasons Health Challenge: Seasons Health owner and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Charlotte Sobeck had an out-of-date site that she could not edit herself. She needed a site where she could share information with her clients on a seasonal basis.Solution: We set up a WordPress.com site and customized one of the available template choices to match the Seasons Health brand. We trained Charlotte to use the browser-based editing system and set up an email subscription area where patients can sign up for health tips from Seasons Health. We also set up a Facebook page for the company so that Charlotte can spread the word about her blog posts beyond her list of email subscribers.

John
Yeager Challenge: Austin
criminal defense lawyer John Yeager needed a web site to use
primarily as a referral tool. The template-based web sites he used
in the past were not effective in bringing him clients, nor did
they reflect the professional look he wanted.Solution: We designed an inviting site that incorporated
new web site copy written by Anne
Hebert. The site includes professional photography of John in
his office along with a painting of a fire being extinguished by
water. The theme of "putting out fires" was worked into
the web site to impart the nature of John's work and his skill in
helping people in tough times.